Recording mechanism motor control



Dec. 12, 1944. R. J. sPnzs ETAL I RECORDING MECHANISM MOTOR CONTROL Filed March 8, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l l l vlllllllllll I |l| J .l my

Dec. 12, 1944. R. J. SPIES ETAL RECORDING MECHANISM MOTOR CONTROL Filed March a, 1941 :s sheets-sheet 2 /a/ LINE /02 Dec. 12, 1944. R. J. SPIES EIAL. 2,365,140

RECORDING MECHANISM MOTOR CONTROL Filed March 8, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORDING MECHANISM'iWOTORGONTROL Raymond J. Spies and Philip. M. Spica. Chicago, Ill.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a. recording mechanism and it has particular reference to devices of the kind'which are employed for recording on a paper tape code messages delivered to the device in'the form of electrical impulses.

The main objects of theinvention are to provide in a device of the character indicated, relatively simple but efficient, rugged and durable mechanism, to provide such mechanism which willrequire a minimum of attention for maintenance; to provide a mechanism of the character'indicated in which the tape will be automatically fed immediately upon receipt of a single electrical impulse; to provide an arrangement in which a predetermined length of the tape will be automatically fed as a result of a single impulse and in which a predetermined length of tape will be automatically fed after delivery of the last of a series of such electrical impulses; and in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved recording mechanism of the character indicated.

Other objects'and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to following specification and accompanying'drawings (three sheets) wherein there is illustrated a punch recording mechanism embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating the recording mechanism in its entirety;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with the cover thereof opened to' reveal some of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectionon the line 3--3 of Fig. 2

Fig, 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operating mechanism and the electricalcircuits employed;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections, respectively, on the lines 55 and 66 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections, respectively on the lines 'l'! and 88 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the recording mechanism therein shown embodies a base H] on which is suitably mounted a casing or housing H, having a door [2 hinged theretoat one side as indicated at [3. As best shown in Figure 2, the casing or housing ll may be secured'to the base H! by means of screws such as indicated at M which pass through the lower marginal portion of the housing and'threadedly engage suitable tapped aperturesin an upwardly projecting part of the base It). The cover or-door l2 may beheld in closed'position' by means of a spring latch'indicated'at"l5 which may be unlocked by applying inwardly directed'pressure on an out wardly projecting button I6'(see Figure 3).

Tlie'operating mechanism of the recording deviceiscarri'ed principally by a pair of plates comprising a' front plate and a back plate H3. The said plates" I8 and I9 are tied together in permanently andrigidly spaced relation by suitablemeanssuch as spacer rodsv as indicated at is which extend'between the plates and to. which the plates are securedby screws indicated at 20. The frame structure comprising the plates ll and i8" is secured to the base l0 through the agency of brackets H98 (Figures 2 and 5).

On the o-utside'of the front plate there is suitably mountedaspindle 2! for rotatably supporting a'tape'roll 22'.

The tape strip designated 25.is drawn from the tape roll'and is threaded'around upper and.

lower guiding spools, 26 and 21 which are suitabiy'mountedonthe front plate H and from the lowerspool 21 the tape strip extends horizontally over. a; suitable die. member 28 and then between a serrated tape ieedingwheel 29 and a.

pressure wheel 30 which. maintains the. tape strip in ieedingengagement with the feed wheel 29; The tapestrip then passes through a suit- ,able slot 3'l1in a wallpart of the housing H to the exterior ofthe device where the tape is available for inspection The die 28"comprises a part of punching mechanism which also embodies a punch element which isvertically. slidably mounted at one end in aguide member 36 and adjacent its other end in a sleeve-like member 31 which is threaded into the member 36soas to be adjustable relative thereto.

The punclimember 35 is provided with a collar fitintermediate its ends and said collar is received Within a recessed portion 39 of the punch guideblock' 36so. asto be movable endwise-in said recess. punch elementv 35 and between the coil 38 and the inner end of the recess 39 serves to yieldingly resist'movement oi the punch element 35' toward the die 28 and to normally hold the punch eleme'ntinits out or up position which is determined by engagement of thecollar 38 with the lower or inner end. M of, the adjustable sleeve-like member 3.7.. It willbeobserved that the out or up position of. the punch 35 may be determined and adjusted by. suitable adjustment of the sleeve 31"and a lock nut 42 is provided for locking the sleeve 31 in the selected position of adjustment.

A coil spring 40 disposed about said.

The die 28 is provided with a suitable opening for cooperating with the cutting end of the punch element 35. A leaf spring element 43 is associated with the punch and die. One leg of the leaf spring extends in substantially parallel relation to the top surface of the die 28 and is operative, as clearly indicated in Figures 2, and 7, to hold the tape strip in engagement With the top surface of the die. Such leg of the spring member is provided with an opening 44 through which the punch may move into operation with the die 28 and it will be apparent that said leg of the spring member serves to effectively strip the tape from the punch member upon movement thereof upwardly or from the die.

The punch is operated by means of a suitable electromagnetic member such as a solenoid 41, suitably mounted on the front plate I! rearwardly of but in vertically aligned relation to the punch and die structure. cludes an armature or plunger 48 which is adapted to be moved upwardly when the solenoid is energized. The lower end of said armature 48 i forked as indicated at 49 and embraces one end portion of an arm 56 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as shown at 5| on the front plate H. The arm 50 extends forwardly from the pivot 5| through a suitable opening in the plate IT and its front end portion 52 extends into overlying relation to the upper end of the punch element (see Figures 5 and 7).

A suitable spring 53 is connected between the inner end portion of the arm 58 and a suitable, accessible stationary part such a a portion of the frame of the solenoid 41 (see Figure 5) and said spring serves to normally urge the arm 58 to rock in such a direction that its outer or forward end portion 52 is maintained in contact with the adjacent end portion of the punch element 35.

When the solenoid 41 is energized, the cross pin 43 in the forked end of the solenoid armature 48 acts on the rock arm 50 and it, in turn. actuates the punch 35 to cause it to co-operate with the die 28 to punch a hole in the tape strip 25. Messages are conveyed by a code based on the number of holes punched in the tape strip and their relation to each other.

The tape feeding wheel 29 may be driven by means of a suitable electric motor indicated at 58 suitably mounted between the plates I! and i8 by being secured to the front plate H. The out-put or driven shaft of said electric motor 58 is indicated at 59 and said shaft extends forwardly through the side plate I! and has said serrated feed wheel 29 suitably secured thereto. Thus the feed wheel 29 is directly driven by the motor 58.

The operation of the motor 58 is controlled by an electric switch indicated in its entirety at 66 and the closing of said switch is controlled by a cam disc 6|. The cam disc 6 is provided with a notch 62 which is adapted to receive an offset leg or end portion 63 of a spring leaf 64 which comprises a part of the switch structure 60. Said spring member 64 normally tends to move toward the periphery of the disc 6| so as to cause said leg 63 to enter the notch 62. The spring member 64 is suitably connected in a well-known manner to switch elements 65, 86 and 61, so that when the member 64 is forced to move in a direction away from the periphery of the disc 6|, the switch contact members 65, 66, and 61 are caused to engage each other to close electric circuits one of which controls the operation of the motor 58.

Said solenoid 41 in- The cam disc 6| is rotatably mounted on a shaft 68, which shaft is in turn journalled at its ends in the front and back plates I! and I8. A pinion gear 69 is suitably secured to said disc 6| by being mounted on a hub portion 10 of the disc and keyed or otherwise rigidly attached thereto, 50 that the pinion 69 and cam disc 6| constitute, in effect, a one-piece unit. The cam disc with its gear 69 is held in axially fixed position on the shaft 68 between a flange member 1| secured in fixed poistion on the shaft 68 by suitable means such as a set screw as indicated (see Figure 8) and by means of the hub portion 12 of a gear wheel 13, the purpose of which will presently be explained.

The cam disc 6| is rotated in one direction (clockwise as viewed in Figures 2 and 4) by means of an electro magnetic device such as a solenoid 14 which may be mounted in any desirable manner on the back plate I8 (see Figure 5).

The solenoid 14 has an armature or plunger 15 which extends downwardly and is provided with gear teeth 16 to form a rack bar which meshes with the pinion gear 68.

It will be observed that upon upward movement of the armature 15 when the solenoid 14 is energized, the pinion gear 69 and the cam disc 6| will be rotated in a clockwise direction. Such rotary movement of the cam disc 6| will of course serve to force the switch member 64 to move outwardly to close the switch contacts and the same will be maintained closed until the disc 6| is returned to its original position in which the switch element 63 may again move into the notch 62.

In order that th tape strip be fed a predetermined minimum distance so as to ensure delivery of the recorded message on a portion of the tape discharged from the housing, means is provided for slowly rotating the cam disc 6| in the reverse direction during which tim the motor 58 continues to operate so that the tape feeding wheel 29 functions to feed the tape forwardly as mentioned, even after the operation of the recording punch has ceased.

The means for restoring the cam disc 6| comprises a connection to the driving motor 58 which in this instance consists of a chain of gears T1, l8, l9 and 80, which connect the motor shaft 59 with the before-mentioned gear 13 so as to rotate the same in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and 4 The gear 73 has rigidly secured to it a ratchet wheel 8| which cooperates with a pawl 82 carried by the disc 6i. As best shown in Figure 4, the ratchet and pawl 8| and 82 are so arranged that when the gear 13 is driven in a counterclockwise direction, rotary movement will be transmitted from the ratchet 8| through the pawl 82 to the disc 6|. In this way, the disc 6| is rotated slowly in a counterclockwise direction, it being observed that the chain of gearing mentioned is suitably arranged to produce the desired slow rotation of the disc 6|.

The gear H is mounted directly on the motor shaft 59 so as to rotate therewith and the gears 18 and I9 are journalled on suitable studs carried by the front plate H. The gear 19 is secured to a shaft 83 which is journalled at its opposite ends in the front and back plates l1 and I8, and the gear is also secured to said shaft 83 in such location thereon that it will mesh with the gear 13 (see Figure 3). The pawl 82 is yieldingly urged into the operative engagement with the ratchet 6| by means of a suitable spring element 84 caraccrued:

ried by the disc :6 I.

on the backplate IS The delivery of ele'ctric-impulsesto. the soles holds 4'! and M is controlled by a suitablerelec tric switch 86 whicl'imay be carried by a bracket 8! which extends from a bracket 88 which is in turn secured as indicated at 89 to the front plate ll. The bracket 88 serves to support an electromagnetic device or relay 90 which operates on armature SH fulcrumed in a well-known manner as indicated at 92 on an end portion of the bracket 88. The armature 9| includes an arm part 93 which xtends downwardly into overlying relation to a pin or button 94 which constitutes a part of the switch 88. The switch 86 may be of any conventional type, for example, one of the so-called micro-switches which operate upon very small movement of an operating pin or button such as 94.

When an electric impulse is delivered to-the magnet 03, the switch 86 is closed. The switch 86 controls an electric circuit originating with a power line indicated in the diagrammatic illustration (Figure l) which circuit includes the solenoids 4"! and 14. If a single electrical impulse of only momentary duration is delivered to the magnet 50, the switch 86 will correspondingly be closed only momentarily but sufliciently to energize the solenoids 4'! and T4 to the extent required to actuate the punch once for punching a hole in the tape 25 and for effecting rotation of the cam disc 6| to close the motor circuit controlling switch 60. Th extent of rotation thus imparted to the cam disc BI is, of course, determined by the length of travel of the rack bar it and the pitch diameter of the pinion gear 69, hese factors being selected to produce the desired extent of rotation of the cam disc. The motor circuit being thus closed, the motor is set in operation so that the feed of the tape strip commences immediately and substantially simultaneously with the energization of the solenoids 4'! and M. Even assuming that only a single momentary electrical impulse was delivered to the actuating magnet til, it will be seen that the motor circuit will nevertheless be maintained closed until the motor has remained in sustained or continuous operation for the length of time necessary to return the cam disc BI to its initial position in which the switch 63 is permitted to open. By that time the tape strip 25 will have been fed the required distance to deliver the recorded message to the exterior of the mechanism.

As a practical matter, it will be understood that a coded message delivered to the recording mechanism will originate in a series of electrical impulses designating a given number or other reference. For example, one form of code message may consist of two numbers such as --6. One typical arrangement for delivering electrical impulses indicating the code 56 is represented diagrammatically at 95, the same comprising a so-called cod wheel 96 having two series of teeth, one series being indicated at 91 and comprising 5 teeth and the other series being indicated at 98 and comprising 6 teeth.

The code wheel 96 is adapted to actuate an electric switch 99 which, each time it is closed, delivers an electric impulse to the operating magnet of the recording mechanism. The series of teeth 97 and 98 on the code wheel 96 are spaced from each other so that a series of 5 impulses will be recorded on the tape 25 in the form of 5 uniformly spaced holes and the second The switch. unit to is; su ported. by. a: suitable. bracket 8 5 which is: mounted seriesof impulses-by; a similar. uniformly: spaced; series of 1 holes which; are spaced from thex first: series a distance; considerably greater: than the; distance intervening. between the. holes of each;

, series. ThlS results, .of course, from the uniforms.

rate; of speed 1 of the tape strip 25 and the. uni;-- form speediof rotation oi'atlie-code wheel; 90:

An electrical terminal panel I00 is secured between the front and back plates ii and I8 and said panel embodies electrical terminals respectively designated IOI, I02, I03, I04. The terminals I0! and I02 may serve to facilitate connection of the main power line to the recording mechanism. The terminals I03 and I04 may receive the connections from the transmitter. The relationship of these terminals to the electrical circuits is also indicated diagrammatically in the wiring diagram Figure 4.

Various changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible, consistent with the state of the art.

We claim:

1. Motor control mechanism of the class describe comprising an electric motor, a normally open electric switch ior controllmg the operatlon of said motor, electric impulse actuated means for closing said switch, said last mentioned means comprising a rotary cam havmg an operatlve connection with said motor switch for closing the same upon rotatlon of said cam in one direction, a solenoid having a plunger biased to a predetermined, normal position, a driving connection between said plunger and said cam for rotatmg the same in one direction upon energization 01' said solenoid to thereby close said motor switch, and a one-way driving connection between said motor and sand cam for eiiecting return rotary movement of said cam to open switch position upon operation of said motor for a predetermined length of time, said. one-way driving connection serving to permit said cam to be freely rotated in one direction by said solenoid and serving to prevent return movement of said cam as an incident to de-energization of said solenoid and the resulting effort of said plunger to return to normal position.

2. Motor control mechanism of the class described, comprising an electric motor, an electric switch for controlling the operation of said motor, electric impulse actuated means for closing said switch, said last mentioned means comprising a rotary cam having a recessed portion for receiving a part of said motor switch in open position, an electro-magnetically actuated cam operating member operatively connected to said cam for rotating the same in one direction upon delivery of an electric impulse to the mechanism, said member being movable between fixed limits and operative to move said cam only a predetermined distance from open switch position to a closed switch position, a one-way driving connection between said motor and said cam for effecting return rotary movement of said cam to open switch position upon operation of said motor for a predetermined length of time, said one-way driving connection serving to permit said cam to be freely rotated in one direction by said electro-magnetically actuated cam operated member and serving to permit repeated operation of said member during the rea series of electric impulses delivered to the turn movement of said cam and incidental, remechanism, and a normally open, electro-magpeated movement of said cam to said closed netically controlled switch for controlling said switch position, whereby said cam is operative electro-rnagnetically actuated cam operating to maintain said switch in closed position and 5 member.

said motor in operation for a predetermined RAYMOND J. SPIES. length of time from the delivery of the last of PHILIP M. SPIES. 

